| August 2006
Immigration | Media | Multiculturalism/Multicultural Society |
Religion | Seniors | Universities & Colleges |Volunteerism |Youth Culture |
E1 - The Immigrant Numbers Game
Munro, Neil
National Journal, June 24, 2006, v38, #5, pp 48-51
”All eyes will be turned to the Census Bureau this October when demographers release their first preliminary estimate of how many unauthorized immigrants are in the country. Much uncertainty surrounds the numbers because illegal residents are difficult to count and because the federal government has not tried to count them before. […] The data will be controversial, because high estimates might spur more calls for restrictions on the entry and employment of immigrant workers, and low estimates may undermine advocacy groups that represent immigrant groups. Solid estimates would, however, help government officials predict future levels of spending on various health, education, and welfare programs that are based on population. Reliable numbers would also aid voters and Wall Street money managers in gauging the performance of the American economy, which in recent years has included unusual combinations of rapid increases in economic growth and worker productivity along with slow increases in job totals and wage growth. The economic impact of undocumented workers, some economists say, may best explain these apparently contradictory trends.” Neil Munro is a “National Journal “ staff correspondent. Fulltext
E2 - The Ties That Bind
Friel Brian
National Journal, July 15, 2006, v38, #28, pp 24-29
This article discusses the debate over the immigration policy in the U.S. Traditionally, family reunification has been a top priority in U.S. immigration policy but now many immigrants take advantage of family ties to acquire U.S. citizenship. In 2005, 58 percent of all legal immigrants benefited from this policy. “But with deportations now splitting so many mixed-status families, should officials start sending the tough-love message that transnational families who wish to reunify do so in some other country?” This article depicts the hardship of families that are separated and explores the question whether or not compassion should come into play. Brian Friel is a “National Journal” staff correspondent. Fulltext
E3 - The Immigration Equation
Lowenstein, Roger
New York Times Magazine, July 9, 2006, pp36-43, 69-71
The author discusses the effect of illegal immigration on the economy. One theory, based on labor economics, argues that increased supply of low skilled labor by the illegal immigrant significantly decreases job opportunities for low skilled Americans. It comes to the conclusion that illegal immigrants hurt economic prospects of U.S. citizens. Opponents of this theory argue that the available data does not support that argument, since the unemployment rate in the U.S. is pretty low, even though 21 million immigrants are employed in the U.S. job market. Because of this ability to absorb these numbers of immigrants, some economists argue that immigration is one of the strengths of the U.S. economy, as it has been since the beginnings of the country. With the current debate about immigration, the U.S. legislators have to find a way to integrate these different approaches into a coherent immigration policy. Roger Lowenstein is a contributing writer. He has written cover articles for the magazine on Social Security and pensions. Fulltext
E4 - The Realities of Immigration
Chavez, Linda
Commentary, July-August 2006, v122, #1, pp. 34-40
Is immigration bad for the U.S.? What spurs the public debate surrounding immigration? This article discusses arguments and positions presented in the current debate. Chavez maintains that “before policy-makers can decide what to do about immigration, the problem itself needs to be better defined, not just in terms of costs and benefits but in relation to America's deepest values.” She outlines the issues surrounding immigration and assimilation by Mexicans to U.S. society and makes suggestions on how to proceed, arguing for more opportunities for people to immigrate legally to the U.S. Linda Chavez is the chairwoman of the Center for Equal Opportunity in Washington. Fulltext
E5 - Hold That Obit
Smolkin, Rachel
American Journalism Review, August/September 2006, online edition
“The nightly network newscasts, often depicted as passé, face the future with a trio of new anchors and bold plans for the wireless world. Nightly news is hot again, if hotness can be measured by the number of inches devoted to the anchor race in the nation's newspapers and magazines. Suddenly, the evening newscasts have what their morning print counterparts can only dream of: buzz and opportunity. […]Behind the excitement […] lie fundamental questions about the direction of the nightly newscasts, which together attract some 27 million viewers, depending on the night and the season. Does the nightly news need to be reshaped? Is a makeover practical, given the constraints in time and structure? Is it smart, given the loyalties, expectations and habits of the sizeable audience that remains?” Rachel Smolkin is AJR's managing editor. Fulltext
E6 - The Hive
Poe, Marshall
The Atlantic Monthly, September 2006, v298, #2, pp86-94
Can thousands of Wikipedians be wrong? How an attempt to build an online encyclopedia touched off history’s biggest experiment in collaborative knowledge. “This article focuses on Wikipedia, the collaborative online encyclopedia. It discusses the history of the enterprise and its founder Jimmy Wales, who wanted to create the best portal on the Web.“ Marshall Poe is founder of Memory Archive: http://www.memoryarchive.org/. Fulltext
E7 - File not Found
Billington, James
The Atlantic Monthly, September 2006, v298, #2, pp142-145
Why a stone tablet is still better than a hard drive. “It is easier than ever to generate and store vast quantities of data, but harder to be sure that the information you want will be available later on.” The article surveys different methods for data storage. James Fallows is a national correspondent for “The Atlantic”. Fulltext
E8 - Amateur Hour
Lemann, Nicholas
The New Yorker, August 7-14, 2006, v82, #24, pp44-49
“On the Internet, everybody is a millenarian. Internet journalism, according to those who produce manifestos on its behalf, represents a world-historical development -- not so much because of the expressive power of the new medium as because of its accessibility to producers and consumers. That permits it to break the long-standing choke hold on public information and discussion that the traditional media --usually known, when this argument is made, as "gatekeepers" or "the priesthood" -- have supposedly been able to maintain up to now.” Nicholas Lemann is the Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University and a staff writer. Fulltext
E9 - The Quest for a Black Humanism
Early, Gerald
Daedalus, Spring 2006, v135, #2; pp91-108
“What does a familiarity with the cultural monuments of the West, from the plays of Shakespeare to the Empire State Building, have to offer an American of African descent? What, if anything, does an American of African descent have to offer a cultural tradition that for centuries was exclusively defined by white men of European descent? Should Americans of African descent - and especially educators - situate themselves as Negro or black, and establish programs in Negro studies and black studies? Or are such programs a form of intellectual apartheid?” Based on the contrasting perspectives about liberal arts from the former U.S. President Booker T. Washington and the sociologist W. E. B. Du Bois, the author asserts that as even the short history suggests, African Americans have long debated the importance of the humanities in ways that echo the debate in the dominant culture, but also in ways that reflect their situation as a uniquely persecuted minority. Gerald Early, a Fellow of the American Academy since 1997, is Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters at Washington University in St. Louis. Fulltext
E10 - Culture and Religion in Global Affairs
Albright, Madeleine
New Perspectives Quarterly, Summer 2006, v23,#3, pp.27-31
“Madeleine Albright speaks with NPQ about her new book, “ The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God and World Affairs”. In the book, Albright examines the profound impact of religion on America’s view of itself, the effects of the rise of the Christian right on US policy, the Bush administration’s successes and failures in responding to 9⁄11, the challenges posed by the war in Iraq and the importance of understanding Islam. Albright argues that, to be effective, US policymakers must understand the power and place of religion in motivating others and in coloring how American actions are perceived. She suggests not only that religion and politics are inseparable, but that their partnership, when properly harnessed, can be a force for justice and peace." Madeleine Albright was US Secretary under Bill Clinton. Order Article
E11 - God’s Casino
Pask, Kevin
Dissent , Summer 2006, v53, #3; pp 37-45
“It is no longer possible to dismiss American religiosity as an odd residuum of hillbilly culture. It is now a vivid and organizing force in a mobile America defined by McMansions and office parks. Indeed, the alliance of advanced capitalism and religious fundamentalism is the most remarkable feature of the landscape of American power today. The superchurch and the televangelist are at least as integral to the current culture of American capitalism as Silicon Valley and Las Vegas…” This article discusses the politicization of religion in the south of the U.S. and the political and economic clout of Sunbelt states such as Florida and Texas which accounts for the geographical axis of the transformation of American society. Kevin Pask hails from Texas. He teaches English literature at Concordia University, Montreal. Fulltext
Seniors
E12 - A New Look at 'Old Age'
Kinnon, Joy Bennett
Ebony, August 2006, v61, #10, pp124-128
“For many older people, age no longer dictates their participation in activities usually enjoyed by younger people and what used to be considered "over the hill" has become a time of vigor, vitality and great expectations. […] Perhaps the biggest change is the fact that aging no longer has to mean traditional retirement. Many seniors are not only working past the stereotypical retirement age, but also getting involved in new careers and/or becoming entrepreneurs.” Fulltext
E13 - Growing Old with GRACE
Clark, Jane Bennett
Kiplinger's Personal Finance, September 2006, v60, #9, pp94-97
The article presents information on some innovations for living condition of senior citizens in the U.S. One innovation is co-housing. With this approach, families buy individual homes but share in the management of the community, as well as chores, expenses, social activities and some meals which are served in a common building. Fulltext
E14 - Getting Smarter With Age
June, Audrey Williams
Chronicle of Higher Education; 7/14/2006, v52 #45, ppA25-A27
The article focuses on the efforts of U.S. universities and colleges to develop college-affiliated retirement communities to meet the needs of their future senior class. According to Leon A. Pastalan, director of the National Center on Housing and Living Arrangements for Older Americans, universities have the opportunity to view retirement communities in a different way. Retirement communities could cause financial and legal risks for a college. It cites the plans of several colleges in building retirement communities. Order Article
Universities & Colleges
E15 - Studying Attrition and Degree Completion Behavior among First-Generation College Students in the United States
Ishitani, Terry T.
Journal of Higher Education, Sep/Oct2006, v77, #5, pp861-885
“The article presents a research study concerning college degree completion among college students. The researchers looked at first-generation students in particular. A number of factors, including rank in their high school classes, educational level of their parents, types of financial aid awarded, participation in work-study programs, and income levels affected the likelihood of graduation. The researchers also examined how ethnicity affected college completion rates. Students who attended private colleges and universities and those who had higher family income levels as well as those who received grants rather than loans had higher rates of graduation." Terry T. Ishitani works at the Office of Strategic Planning, Indiana State University. Fulltext
E16 - International Graduate Admissions in U.S. up 12% Compared to Last Year
Council of Graduate School Survey, released August 9, 2006, online edition, 7p
The Council of Graduate School's latest survey of international graduate admissions, released August 9, 2006, shows that offers of admission to international students by U.S. graduate schools increased 12% from 2005 to 2006. Considerable gains are seen in the number of students admitted from China (+20%) and India (+28%). However offers of admission to students from the Middle East dropped 2%. In terms of fields of study, engineering (+19%), business (+16%), and physical science (+15%) programs showed the largest growth in international applications. Most graduate school deans believe that the quality of their international applicants is as high, or higher, than it was last year. Fulltext
E17 - Volunteering in America: State Trends and Rankings 2002-2005
Corporation for National Community Service, June 12, 2006, various pagings
A new report, Volunteering in America: State Trends and Rankings, offers statistics on volunteering at national, regional and state level. State profiles include information on the number of people volunteering, the volunteering rate, the number of hours volunteered, the primary organizations at which volunteers perform work, and the types of activities volunteers perform in each state. Data in the report were obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics within the U.S. Department of Labor. Fulltext
Youth Culture
E18- The Brand Underground
Walker, Rob
New York Times Magazine, July 30, 2006, pp28-37
Rob Walker writes that young adults are expressing ideas not through art, music or literature but through products and brands. He offers several examples, including that of New Yorker Aaron Bondaroff, or A-Ron, whose chosen medium is "aNYthing," a brand he sells in his own store and other places. Rob Walker writes the Consumed column of the New York Times Magazine. Fulltext
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